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Author: Laura Nickerson

February 13, 2023

February 13, 2023

On Valentine’s Day we give top billing to our natural desire for love.

 

If it was not for Christ’s unsurpassable love for each of us, we could search for a lifetime without quenching this deep desire that God placed inside of us. 

 

Valentine’s Day provides a nice emphasis on love but falls short of the truth that there is no substitute for our Father’s Agape love. Not anywhere. It’s simply beyond our comprehension to know and understand how deeply and completely He loves us. 

 

It’s not uncommon for many of us to think that we’re not worthy of His love. We need to remember that Jesus came to save the sinners, not the righteous. To quote a favorite author, Hannah Whitall Smith, “Your very sinfulness and unworthiness is your chief claim upon His love and His care.”

 

Each one of us is called to accept that we are so special and precious to Him that, just as He left the flock of 99 sheep to find the one who was lost, He will seek you out to be rescued. 

 

We each need to experience the truth that John writes about in 1 John 4:16: “So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us.”  

 

On Valentine’s Day, and every day, Jesus is the lover of our soul! 

 

God is with you. He takes great delight in you, quiets you with His love and rejoices over you with singing (Zephaniah 3:17). You are that precious to Him! Our Father loves you as much as He loves His own son, Jesus! (John 17:23)

 

Are you looking for true love? Have you accepted God’s offer of His love through a personal and loving relationship with Jesus? Want to talk about it?

February 6, 2023

February 6, 2023

Does anxiety interfere with your plans and goals?

 

When I feel anxious I become aware that my thought process has gone astray; I’ve wandered off on my own, my mind has become overloaded with thoughts about my problems. I’ve lost sight of God’s assurance that He cares about every aspect of my welfare and peace of mind and that He is watching over me and is working out His plan for my future, and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11).

 

As my thoughts turn to Him, Jesus’ promise to carry my burdens (Matthew 28:11) and provide His peace (John14:27), becomes a reality and pushes aside my anxiety.

 

We should never allow anxiety or fear to cloud our mind and control our thoughts. We only need to focus our thoughts on God’s love and promises. By studying His Word, and, when possible, memorizing key verses, we can keep our focus on what is most helpful.

 

Charles Stanley has penned a helpful summation: “He is all-powerful, all-knowing, and ever-present. He knows absolutely everything about your situation. He knows how to produce wholeness out of brokenness. He knows how to build strength out of weakness. He knows how to heal what is sick. He knows how to bring reconciliation and love out of estrangement and hate. He loves you with an unconditional, unfathomable, immeasurable love.”

 

Are your thoughts staying in alignment with God’s thoughts?

January 30, 2023

January 30, 2023

A coaching relationship provides a helpful and healthy platform for sharing and finding relief from burdens. It’s a safe place, where your coach listens and engages with you to help you determine how to lighten your load and move forward without those burdens. 

 

Everyone has burdens, but not everyone is motivated to let go of them and improve their situation and their life. A genuine desire to unload heavy burdens is a key. A coach can’t provide the desire and determination, but can be an important sounding board to help lift and eliminate unnecessary burdens. 

 

Good coaches begin their coaching businesses by finding and meeting with their own coach. This gives coaches the positive experience of sharing their burdens and finding solutions that work for them. Everyone benefits! 

 

Why keep wrestling with unneeded burdens? What are you waiting for?

January 23, 2023

January 23, 2023

In today’s vocabulary, hope is often used to express a desire for something to happen or to be true. The original, and true meaning of the word hope, however, refers to a firm and certain expectation.

 

God gives us access to “a living hope” through the resurrection of Jesus (1 Peter 1:3). Hope is “a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul” (Hebrews 6:19). He is our hope!

 

Without true hope, the trials and troubles of this life will wear us down and take away our motivation to live the life that God would have us live – a life of abundance! 

 

Hope is manifested and materialized in the course of a helpful coaching relationship. Hope motivates both coach and client and provides a solid foundation for understanding and acquiring all that God has in mind for us.

 

What’s on your hope list for 2023? In what or, more importantly, in whom, are you placing your hope?

 

What are your goals for the year ahead? It would be my privilege to partner with you in building a foundation for true hope!

January 16, 2023

January 16, 2023

I love this quote by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., as well as one I heard in an interview with his daughter, Rev. Dr. Bernice A. King:

 

“My father was a living epistle. He literally embodied the Spirit of Christ. There’s a power in believing and lining yourself up with God’s Word.”

 

Taking the first step is so important! When we exercise our faith, and our desires are lined up with God’s Word, the Lord will meet us there.

January 9, 2023

January 9, 2023

What are your hopes for 2023? 

 

It may sound strange, but my hope in this new year is that there will be widespread recognition of the Biblical truth that we have all been born into a spiritually broken world; each of us born with a spiritually flawed nature and that many will accept Jesus’ standing offer for a transformation that He will freely provide to those who ask. My hope is the basis for my vocational choice of ministry as a Christian life coach and includes an emphasis on promoting genuine transformation.

 

One of my goals centers on helping clients re-write their stories – like I have been re-writing mine – and, in partnership with the Holy Spirit, helping them to become the people that God made them to be.

 

My personal goal for 2023 is more perfectly stated in the words of the 1896 hymn by Frances Brook, “My goal is God Himself, not joy, nor peace, nor even blessing, but Himself, my God.”

 

Only God, only Jesus, is faithful. As Charles Stanley observes, “His commitment to you is lasting…His friendship never changes.” Jesus is Immanuel, God with us, to all those who believe and receive Him. He is always with us, a shoulder to lean on, our faithful companion and friend!

 

The challenges we’ve all experienced over the last few years have caused many of us to evaluate where we stand with God and to draw closer to Him. Many desire the transformation that only a relationship with Him can provide!

 

What are your hopes and goals for 2023? Are you ready for a transformation? 

January 2, 2023

January 2, 2023

New Year’s Eve fireworks made me think about Christ’s lighting up the darkness and the importance for each of us to share in helping the glorious Light of Christ to shine on this dark world. 

 

This past week, I celebrated my 57th birthday. It sounds old to me because I feel as though I’ve been on a long and tumultuous journey thus far. I have made more than my share of mistakes, but they have led me to a place where I can share my experiences while helping others to share the joy in the Lord’s healing and unfailing Love.

 

God continues to reveal His plan for my life one day at a time. He puts the pieces together in His way and time, exchanging ashes for beauty and making me into the woman He intended me to be. He wants to do the same for you! 

 

Together, we can add to a reflection that will help to brighten His light and reduce the darkness in this world!

 

We won’t be complete ‘til we are at Home with Him, but each year brings us closer!

 

Here’s to the brightening of His light in the year ahead!

December 26, 2022

December 26, 2022

Why did Jesus come? Despite our rejection of God in the Garden of Eden, His love for us and desire for restoring a personal relationship led Him to provide a plan for our redemption and reconciliation.

 

Christmas Day marks the introduction of God’s plan to come to earth in human form in order to demonstrate that, even though we did nothing to deserve it, His love for us is so strong that He was willing to sacrifice His only true Son to restore a personal relationship with Him for any of us who are willing to accept His offer. Jesus was, and is, Immanuel, “God with us”!

 

No matter how lonely you may feel, you are never alone if you have accepted God’s offer and have personally accepted Jesus to fulfill that restoration with God. If you have, you can be assured of His continual presence with you. (John 10:28). 

 

Immanuel is the God of Hope. If you are feeling lonely, invite Him in and ask Him to fill you with the joy and peace that only He can provide.

 

Have you accepted Immanuel, God’s Christmas gift of love?

December 19, 2022

December 19, 2022

We’re surrounded by unusual color and beauty during the Christmas season. But the season also has a way of stirring up and increasing our anxiety. 

 

My suggested formula for increasing the joy of Christmas is to decrease the anxiety by taking momentary breaks to ask our heavenly Father to intercede and remove the buildup of worry that you may be experiencing.

 

God hears those prayers!  Even Jesus cried out to His Father when he was burdened while here with us on earth.

 

In 1 Peter 5:7, the Holy Spirit inspired Peter to write, “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.”

 

During the Christmas season, as you focus on God’s ultimate Christmas gift to us, can you allow yourself to stop, as needed, and surrender your anxieties to Him?

December 12, 2022

December 12, 2022

Advent, meaning ‘Coming’ in Latin, is the word most churches use to describe our focus on Jesus coming into the world as a baby. Advent is a time to concentrate on what Christmas is really about!

 

After telling His disciples that He would send them the Holy Spirit, He said to them, “Peace I leave with you, My Peace I give to you, not as the world gives . . .”

 

Today, the prospect of peace, both in our country and our world seems more distant every day. Our world appears out of control. We wonder if we can ever find peace and whether that peace will be lasting. 

 

There was also a great deal of unrest in the world at the time of Jesus’ birth. As it happened, Christ’s coming brought conflict rather than peace, ending with His death. But, as He promised, following His resurrection, He will provide the gift of personal peace to all who are willing to surrender their pride and put their trust and faith in Him, the Prince of Peace.

 

Our acceptance of Jesus, a personal gift of Himself, includes His abiding presence along with the gift of His peace! He is with us continually, even in the midst of the storms. His peace is a lasting peace. 

 

Have you accepted Jesus and the peace of His presence?